Wire carrier for workmen



May 14, 1946. J. P. HlcKEY WIRE ICARRER FOR WORKMEN Filed April e, 1944 Patented May 14, 1946 UNITED;similia- WIR CARRIER FonvvoriKMEN c, Y John vP. Hickey, Columbus, Ohio I Appia-ation Apri16,:1944,' seri-a1 No. 529,800

` 5,4 Claires. .(01. 24a-97V This* invention relates to worlimensarticle car" tion in which the. safety of 'the yworker is en;

riers, and has particular reference to anV improved harness having waist'and shoulder straps formed to receive and support'various tools and materials used by workmen in performing industrial opera-` tions. f While my improved carrier `is not so limited,

and may be used. inmany other. capacities, it'has':

been especially designed for use by Vworkmen engag'ed in the operations ofpositi'oning metallic reenforcing rods, and holding the same'in proper relative order, preparatory to 'the` pouring "of freshlyVv mixed concrete.' Such 'an' operation re q-uires the workman, to unite the spaced reenfo'rc-i ing rodsvs'rithcrelatively short lengths of wire, the

wire being twisted about the rodscat'intersectionall pointsV to vtie and hold the'samef if; a, predetermined relative order. Infexecuting this'ope'ra" tion, the workman quite commonly places a coil of wire around his neck with the coil restirgjn the shoulders. c The wire is then drawn off thev coil and plier cut to Ydesired lengthsto complete a given tyingv operation.` i

It frequently happens that when the wireis so positioned and used, the same injures theskin, often causing painful cts, abrasions `or lacerations. To rprevent this condition, certain work# men carry the wire coil on the fore part of oney arm, but this practice hampersl the workmamby preventing the latter from freely using both hands y and arms in performing his tasks. Such methods; of carrying the Wire coil tends to jeopardize the safety of the workmen, particularly when working on elevated scaffolds.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved wire carrier or harness for such workers embodying waist and shoulder straps which, when tightened and adjusted on the wearer, support at the back thereof a holder for the reception of a spool of wire, the

shoulder straps being provided with guides through or over which the free end portions of the wire are advanced to the front of the wearer, where it may be conveniently grasped and used as the work at hand demands.

g It is another object Aof the invention to providea worlnnans Atool and material carrier of the character. indicated,V and wherein the holder for the wire coil is constructed Vto provide for ready insertion and removal of the spooled wire.

A further object is to provide a harness for wire workers which is of such construction as to leave both hands of a worker free to execute various tasks, to reduce fatigue and provide a construchanced. v

For al further understanding vof the invention,"

reference isA torbe had to the following description'fand the `'accompanying drawing, wherein: c

Fig. 1 is a rear elevationalview-of the improved Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the carrier,

` showing its operative position on a wearer;y .l A Fig. 3 is a 'detail vertical sectional view taken,

FigglifY A c v'IEig. l is a. Yside elevational .view of the carrier' detached from the wearer.,l v 1l on the plane'indicated-byjthe vline III-' IIImof Myimprove'd tool and material carrier fo-rin-I' dustrial workers comprises' a iharnesslwhich is adaptedlto be Vworn over the' outer garments ofua, workei,k The harness lcomprises Ya' waist belt V5,

which is adapted" to be banned-,as are, about the waistof a worker.` The belt has secured "thereto the lower ends of a pair of Vshoulderlstraps 1, each of these straps being provided with kadjusting buckles to adapt the harnessto workers of dif-` ferent stature, and to enable` the same to fit snugly andv without undue looseness. The front ofthe waist belt may be provided with one or more, pockets 9 for the 'reception of' various tools, suchr as a pair of wire manipulating andvcutting pliers. Supported at the back` of'thewaist belt 5 isa wire holder orcarrier I0. f Inthisinstance, the latter comprisesV a Ushaped metallic frame I I to which is applied an outer covering or casing of any suitable material, the said casing embodying a front wall I2, a parallel back wall I3, a bottom I 4, vertical end walls I5 and a flexibly or hingedly movable top wall I6, the latter being provided at its front with a depending flap I 'I which is adapted to be retained in its closed position by turnable fasteners I8. These fasteners are carried by the front wall I2 and are receivable within openings provided in the flap I1. The holder or car- 'rier` may be riveted, for example, as at I9, to

the waist belt 5.

The said holder or carrier is adapted to receive in a, removable manner a spool 2) of wire. This spool is rotatably positioned on a removable and axially located pin 2|, the latter being received within openings provided in the frame II. The headed endv 22 ofsaid pin is positioned` in an opening 23 provided in the front wall I2. Normally, the pin is held against removal from its operative position by means of a disk 24 which is hinged as at 25 to the front wall I2. The disk from the spool 20 are passed through an opening i in the top wall i6 and then trained through.

spaced guides 2'I, conveniently eye guides, carried by one or both of the shoulder straps l. Usually, the guides are provided on both straps It will be seen that by in order to render the appliance adaptable for y either right or left handed workers. By so guiding the free length of the Wire, it is maintainedY in close proximity to the body of the worker, and

is prevented from becoming caught in adjacent objects, Where it might cause injuries. The free end of the Wire is grasped by the worker and is drawn outwardly, unreeling from the spool 20. When thedesiredolength has been reached, the Wire maybe severed bythe use of pliers for permanent application to the work. The shoulder straps v'I may beprovidedwith buttons 28, around Which the free end of the wire is Wrapped to prevent it from injuring the Worker or becoming caught in adjacent bodies.

In vievv of the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides an efcient and effective carrier for Workmens tools yand materials. The device, when worn, does not in any Way hamper a workman in his occupational activities, but on the contrary, allows the worker to move freely, enabling the Worker to use both hands and to execute tasks with less fatigue and maximum facility. The'device may be attractively iinished and, Whenvvvorn,l presents a neat military appearance which meets with the approval of mostof the users thereof.

Another Vfeature vof `the device is lthat it tendsV to Save wire. `When the Wire is 'carried loosely on While I believe the above ldescribed embodiment of my invention to bea preferred one, it should be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of design and construction shown and described, since obvious modifications will occur to any person skilled in the art.

I claim: Y

l. A Wire carrier for Workers utilizing wire in industrial occupations, comprising a harness composed of a waist belt and a pair of shoulder straps adapted to be Worn over the outer garments of a Worker, a holder carried by said Waist belt at the back thereof for the rotatable reception of a spool of Wire, and guides carried by .at least one of said shoulder straps through which Wire withdrawn from the spool is trained over the shoulders of the wearer to the front.

2. A tool and material carrier for industrial Workers comprising a harness embodying an adjustablel waist belt, Va pair of shoulder' straps united attheirends With said belt, a frame carried by said belt and operatively located at the back of the worker, means carried by said'frame for the rotatable and removable reception of a spool of wire, and guides carried by at least one of said shoulder straps through which wire withdrawn from said spool is trained.

3. In a Wire-handling appliance, a harness structure including Waist and shoulder straps, a reel casing carried bythe waist Ystrap adjacent to the back of the wearer,A a pin removably ,positioned in said casing for the Vrotatable support of a Wire holding reel, anda pivoted locking device operative when actively positioned to prevent Withdrawal of said pin from said casing and when inactively positioned to admit of the withdrawal of said `pinand theremovalof the reel from the casing. f.. A

4.,A tool and materialy carrier for industrial Workers comprising a-harness embodying an adjustable waistfbelt, a pair of shoulder straps united at their ends 'with said belt, a frame carried by said belt and operatively located at the Y back of the worker, means carried by said frame for the rotatable and removable reception of a spool of Wire, guides carried by at least one of saidl shoulder straps through which Wire Withdrawn from said spool is trained, andmeans carried by one of saidshoulder straps for attaching the free end of the Wire'withdrawn from said reel thereto. v j Y,

' Y JOHN P. HICKEY. 

